Chief Minister Mr N Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the state government is giving utmost priority to agriculture and other allied activities such as poultry, dairy farm, fisheries, horticulture, animal husbandry and sericulture. This will ensure that youth do not migrate to urban areas in search of livelihood and also provide income through the development of these sectors. The Chief Minister said that the government has hiked the budget to agriculture by 67%, horticulture by 75%, fisheries by more than 1100% and dairy sector by 150%.

The Chief Minister along with the Union Minister for agriculture and food processing Mr Sharad Pawar today inaugurated the National Fisheries Development Board regional office building at Rajendra Nagar in the city.  Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister said that the planning commission has been requested to extend support to the state government for taking up construction of cold storages, godowns, food processing and other value added units which will increase the income availability in the rural areas and also arrest the migration of the educated rural youth to the urban areas.

The Chief Minister said that more than 20 lakh fishermen in the state who eke out their livelihood in the high seas are depend on the mercy of the nature.  As such the centre and the state government are taking steps to ensure that they get sustainable income even during the period of natural disasters such as sunaami, floods or earthquakes.

The state government is providing Rs 20,000 to the fishermen for construction of houses on par with SCs and STs. However there is an increasing demand that the amount is insufficient.  Therefore, a high level committee has been constituted to study the matter, the Chief Minister said and added that on par with agriculture, the NALA fees has been waived for the fisheries sector.

The Chief Minister appealed to the Union minister Sharad Pawar to set up an acquarium as per international standards in the city which will attract tourists and students.  The Union Minister responded favourably to the Chief Minsiter's request and announced that an acquarium of international standards will be set up in the city.

Shri Sharad Pawar said that due to the efforts of the scientists, the country has achieved self sufficiency in agriculture produce and now we are exporting food grains to various countries.  Similar efforts are also required in the field of fisheries, he observed. The National Fisheries Development Board will strive to increase the share of fisheries exports in the world market, the minister added.

The Minister for state for fisheries Mr Charan Das said that Andhra Pradesh ranks first in fish production. The Minister for Animal Husbandry Mr Viswaroop spoke at length about the various measures taken by the government towards the development of fisheries sector and the measures taken by the government for the welfare of the fishermen.

MP M Srinivas Reddy, MLA T Prakash Goud spoke on the occasion. MP Rajgopal Reddy and other officials were present on the occasion.